Last week
: The Raiders stayed in the playoff
hunt with a 16-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.
DT
Richard Seymour
blocked a pair of field-goal
attempts, including a potential game-winner as time expired in
regulation. A loss would have eliminated Oakland from contention
for the AFC West title.

Last game vs. Chargers
: The Raiders were, by
far, the more physical team in beating the Chargers at Qualcomm
Stadium 24-17 on Nov. 10. They dominated with inside running in
dealing the Chargers their fourth straight loss in what would
become a season-killing, six-game losing streak.

Player to watch
:
Michael Bush
,
RB – The hard-hosed running back isn't even the starter when
Darren McFadden
is healthy, but he has proven to
be a Charger killer. He dominated them last season and continued
that trend with 157 rushing yards and a touchdown in addition to 87
receiving yards in the November victory. The 6-foot-1, 245-pound
bruiser has 911 yards and seven touchdowns, getting more carries
than expected with McFadden out with injury.

On offense
: The Raiders are led by QB
Carson Palmer,
who was acquired after
Jason Campbell
went down with a broken collarbone.
He has been average at best, tossing 11 touchdowns passes and 16
interceptions. His receivers have had a tough time staying healthy.
WR
Darrius Heyward-Bey
leads the Raiders with 845
receiving yards and three touchdowns.

On defense
: The Raiders have been terrible on
defense. They rank No. 29 in both total defense (382.5 yards) and
scoring defense (28.5 points per game) as they struggle against the
run and pass. Seymour is the headliner, but LB
Rolando
McClain
has 89 tackles and five sacks.

Special teams
: The Raiders have the best
specialists in football. K
Sebastian Janikowski
tied the NFL record with a 63-yard field goal earlier this season,
and he is 16-for-20 on attempts from 40 yards and beyond. P
Shane Lechler
has a strong leg and an 80-yard punt
on his resume. He also has dropped 27 punts inside the opposing
20-yard line.

Coaching
: Hue Jackson has become a fan favorite
among Raiders fans. He's good with the media and is not afraid to
take big risks, especially on offense. He has his team close to
winning the division, needing a victory over the Chargers and a
loss by the Denver Broncos.